Forever
by stainedglasshorse
Summary: Sequel to Fine. B&B are easing into their relationship when they get a sudden visitor from their past and then a custody case? How will this change them? Fluffy little B&B piece.Parkerfluff too
1. Chapter 1

-squeeee- It's finally herrre! The sequel to _Fine_. I took a little bit of an angsty turn for a few minutes but rest assured- it is still quite fluffy and delightful. [ or at least I hope you guys think so! I had some issues with this chapter, particularly the start of it, so please let me know what you think. Second chapter is written and will be up ASAP [ probably tonight if my internet cooperates So enjoy! And remember- Reviews feed my soul...

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That night had been a turning point for the partners. It was monumental, for both of them and as they sat at the diner, yet again, waiting for their coffees they studied each other.

Booth gazed lovingly, what a relief to finally be able to say that, at his partner and as he saw her studying him he smiled. She was giving him the same look she gave a set of newly discovered bones or evidence, intense scrutiny that was completely free of bias. It was an exhilarating experience, being stared down like he was currently and as uncomfortable as it may sound he felt himself entranced. Her piercing eyes had a softer side behind them that she was letting him see much more than usual, a window into the real Temperance. He was good at reading people, it was a gift and nothing new, but the depth of emotions he now saw and the new things he picked around her, he still found himself being surprised by her. They have been partners for three years, almost died and spent more time together than apart; he had thought they knew each other pretty damn well. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of their lives learning these secrets and sharing his own; knowing such a statement would frighten her he instead chose to reach his hands across the hand and cover hers with a comforting smile.

Her mind was going a mile a minute. This was amazing and horrifying. Thrilling and terrifying. She was starting to realize that she really did care for Booth, more than she ever would have imagined she could and that scared the living daylights out of her. In her mind she instinctively thought of her past and those loved ones who had left her, leaving her broken and forced to pick up the pieces of herself time and time again. She wanted to trust Booth though and her rational mind grudgingly agreed with her impulsive side- Booth had been the one constant in her life for three years now. He was her…rock? She remembered Angela making a reference to him being something like that…maybe it was boulder, not that it really mattered. She found herself searching his eyes for any trace of doubt, any hint that he wanted out of their sudden new terms. She instead found only caring concern and the love she noticed earlier and her mouth curved into a smile as he felt his hands on her own and sighed softly.

"Booth?" she asked timidly, still unsure of what exactly she would say to him. He looked at her and nodded with a strange grin on his face, almost as if he were speechless, she thought with a chuckle. Smiling broader and grasping his broad, work hardened hands in her own she looked into eyes as she spoke softly. "Please understand what I'm trying to say here…I'm happier than I have really ever been when I'm around you Booth. I want to do this and I'm not scared. I trust you never to leave me.." she suddenly got choked up and looked to the side for a moment returning her gaze when she felt one of his hands raise up to touch her cheek softly. She sniffled a little then laughing met his concerned gaze "I do trust you Booth. More than I should probably…But that's what I wanted to say or ask I guess. Don't let me overanalyze this. My mind and my past experiences are telling me to run for the hills, get out now" She laughed and raised her hand to touch his face when she saw the sudden flash of fear in his features. "Don't worry. I want to stay, I don't want to run and I have no reason to. Just don't let me over think this. I want us to work. I really do, Booth." She felt herself running out of words and looked to the still silent man across the table expectantly.

He listened to her speech and fell even more in love her, if that was even possible. He saw the fear reflected in her eyes and knew how hard it must be for her to ignore that inner instinct, ignore the flight response instilled in her after abandonment and heartbreak. It killed him to think that somebody had hurt her, but made him even more intent on his purpose- keep her safe and happy for as long as he was around. Which was going to be his forever, whether she liked it or not. He suddenly realized that she was looking at him and he found himself scrambling for the right words to convey his emotions. "We are going to work Bones, I know it. I will never leave you, not ever…it kills me to even consider it, and I love you too much to ever spend any length of time away from you. If you run, I'll follow. Hell, I'll even enlist Ange to help monitor your over thinking just in case I miss some subtle girl sign or something…I never want to lose you, ever." He finished and looked up at her gently bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing it. He saw her shyly smiling at him and knew in that moment that they would be alright.

* * *

It had been a little over a month since their formal change from partners into something more, and while it wasn't a secret around the lab they had taken great steps in ensuring they acted no differently towards one another at work. Booth was standing with Hodgins and Zack at the far end of the platform, with some sort of bug race; he honestly didn't listen when the overexcited scientists brought out the insects, contained in their own little jars. He once again sighed, mentally kicking himself for letting them talk him into being the referee for their competition. He was fielding an interference debate when he saw somebody very familiar walk onto the platform and straight for his partner's office. He had to fight every urge in his body to keep from powering over and confronting their visitor but instead he decided to give Bones a chance to handle it on her own before he went all 'alpha-male' on her and defended her honor. Only a few minutes though. He split his attention between the arguing men in front of him and side glances at the office across the platform.

Bones had just sent Angela to save Booth from the bug racing and was settling into her chair when she heard her friend's shocked gasp and an all too familiar voice acknowledge their meeting "Angela." Her friend uttered nothing in return but her clicking heels made their way quickly across the platform. Just as Brennan was searching for escape routes the guest was at her door and she found herself able to utter only one thing "What the hell are you doing here?"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Squeeee! Thanks for the encouragement guys, I see a few alerts already and a review from my new best friend Miller (love ya!) so here is the next chapter. I am going to keep this fluffy and light but I need your thoughts on our visitor. I was going to wrap that little twisty thing up the start of next chapter, have him disappear and then just get back to the cute B&Bness...good plan? Should i leave him here and just forget it? Any ideas are GREATLY appreciated. Let me know what you guys think, please. Reviews make the next part come faster, its a proven fact. want evidence? review and see how fast the next chapter comes! haha Enjoyyy!

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Special Agent Tim Sullivan simply stood in her doorway smiling and shook his head. "Is that all I get Tempe? After all this time and your not even a little happy to see me?" He moved in and stood by her desk still smiling at her expectantly "Well…can I get a hug?" He found it adorable- she was speechless over him. He smiled even wider as she moved from behind her desk and tentatively hugged him. He pulled her closer and when he dipped his head to rest on top of hers he felt her pull away. He looked her in the eye and heard the three words he never wanted to hear from her, "I've moved on." She paused and stepped farther back, crossing her hands across her chest nervously. His smile faded and he sighed heavily before meeting her gaze "You have? Well…Congratulations. I mean it. I thought you might have waited for me but….hey, anybody I know?" He tried to make it sound cheerful, tried to mask his hurt. He honestly thought she would wait for him, he never considered the alternative.

Angela reached Booth's side milliseconds after her encounter with Sully in the hallway and she blurted out in a huff "Booth! Sully is with Brennan…give her a few minutes to work it out but you might need to save her." She took a deep breath and leaned against her boyfriend. Booth turned completely, abandoning his half hearted attempt at continuing to referee, to look in the windows of the anthropologist's office at exactly the wrong moment. His heart wrenched as he saw the former friend embrace his girl (she would shoot him if she ever found out he called her 'his girl' even in his own head) and he felt a strange mixture of fear, pain and hatred…ah yes, good ole jealousy was back in the building. Angela noticed his tense posture and put a hand on his arm "Down boy" she jokingly whispered "Give Bren a chance" He continued to watch the two and felt a sense of pride when she pulled away and assumed a defensive posture. Thatta girl.

Brennan wasn't sure how to tell her ex-boyfriend that her new boyfriend was his former co-worker and probably former friend, after today. She instead nodded and focused her gaze on Booth, smiling softly and urging him to join her with her eyes. He saw the signal and she let out a sigh of relief as she watched him hand the race scorecard to Angela and stride purposefully across the platform. She looked back at the tanned, shocked man before her and as he followed her gaze she saw his scowl form as he muttered "Of course. Booth." She nervously fidgeted in place, entirely uncomfortable with the social situation she suddenly found herself in. She willed Booth to walk faster, not used to needing help but not wanting to face this conversation alone anymore.

Booth thought about knocking but instead walked into the office and right up to Brennan, standing next to her and facing their unwelcome visitor. He immediately noticed the tense and uncomfortable look on Brennan's features and looking at Sully he saw only pure, untamed anger. Very glad that he had chosen to come up sooner rather than later, he nodded at Sully and accepted the handshake the other man offered with a gruff "How ya doing?" before slipping back to Brennan and sliding his arm protectively around her waist. He could feel her glare piercing his head but chose to ignore that for now- he wanted this guest to be sure exactly where he stood, forget work boundaries. He watched as Sully's features went from unmistakable anger to a forced grin the barely passed as a smile at all with his eyes still betraying the anger he no doubt felt bubbling inside of him.

"So Tempe here was just telling me the news, Congrats man. You two finally hooked up!" Sully's now broad smile was anything but friendly and Brennan found herself very glad that she had Booth to help her through this part of the relationship.

Booth had to keep from hitting the man when he heard the term 'hooked up'. He honestly wanted to punch this guy until he was certain exactly who he was talking to and about. It didn't bother Booth but to hear Brennan's commitment and part in their relationship- however short it may be, trivialized…well it made him furious. He instead felt the woman next to him lean closer and reach up the touch the hand that still rested on her waist, asking for him to be civil. He closed his eyes and when he opened them pasted a smile on his face and looked his former friend dead in the eye "Thank you. We have been dating for a few months now. How long are you in town?" He made sure to put certain emphasis on the term 'dating' and left no room for negotiation in his gaze. He wasn't asking for the newcomers itinerary so they could go out for drinks, he wanted to know how long he planned on plaguing them with his existence.

Sully knew from the moment the other agent entered the room that he would have to tread lightly. Booth was known for being protective of her when they were just partners, he didn't want to find out what extreme this instinct had reached since they settled on 'coupledom'. Smiling tightly he decided it was time to cut his losses and high tail out of this suddenly hostile environment, "Ah, not sure man. I mean I still got the boat" he paused to gaze knowingly at Brennan and noticed the death glare from Booth intensified "But who knows. I'm gonna see if Cullen wants to take me back, maybe I'll plot out a new trip. Still not sure. But I'm going to leave. Congratulations again, both of you…and Tempe, it was great seeing you" He gazed at her for a second before she broke the stare and looked towards the door. He sighed and with a mock salute he fled the office.

Booth walked over to the doorway to watch and make sure he actually left before shutting the office door and turning towards Brennan. "Are you ok?" he asked worriedly seeing her sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. "Did he hurt you? I'll kill him if he hurt-" he stopped his threat when she raised her head and he saw a grin instead of tears on her face.

She was trying to hold back her laughter and her happiness just elevated when she heard Booth offering to go track her ex down in the parking garage. She pulled him down next to her and turned so she could explain the bizarre reaction she was having, he definitely looked confused. "I'm so relieved. I was worried that I would be tempted to take an out when it presented itself, just because of me- not because I don't care for you. But when he stood in that doorway I wanted nothing more than to show off that I had moved on…moved on to better things. I never truly realized how much more I care for you, so much more than I ever could have cared for Sully. I never felt the urge to show him off, not like I do with you. And call me crazy but it felt good having you here to help stand up for me…don't make a habit of it, but I could get kinda used to this protective boyfriend deal" she paused and rested her head against his chest before continuing in a softer tone "He seemed upset that I didn't wait for him, but why would I? I mean how does he figure that he can come in here," her voice raised as her speech became more passionate "hug me in what was definitely _**not**_ a guy hug, and tell me that he thought I would have waited for him? It's beyond arrogant" she muttered and finally trailed off. She could feel his laughter rumbling in his chest and took comfort in her proximity, sighing softly.

He looked down at her and felt a surge of pride. He was holding back his laughter when she started bashing the absent man and wrapping his arms around her he kissed the top of her head and sighed with her. How long they stayed like that neither was sure, but it felt good so neither was complaining either.

Later that day Booth had stepped out of the office to make a quick phone call to his superior, asking about the unofficial status of Agent Sullivan's reinstatement. He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding when he heard that the only real openings were for desk jobs- something the free spirited agent would never agree to. As he flipped his phone shut he went back in to find Brennan packing her files to take home and a glance at his watch confirmed the late hour. "Dinner?" he asked as he leaned against the doorframe and grinned knowingly.


	3. Chapter 3

_Miller- you get a shoutout here for being such a great reviewer and reader. You rock! And I love hearing the insights of all my readers so Miller (and everybody else!) keep the reviews coming! If you want to say something that can't be said in a review- message me! I love hearing from my readers no matter what they are saying._

_Sorry this took a little long (It won't be a habit, promise!!) but my college semester is winding down and free time is becoming a fictional thing in my life. I like writing this side of them though and every conflict is such a great lead in for fluff. I've kept this pretty tame but am considering raising it up, T would be the tops (no serious smut or anything) but how do you guys feel about that? Sooo anyways, enjoy and remember to let me know what you think!_

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She emerged from his bathroom and felt a smile creep across her face when she heard off key singing from the kitchen. Feeling herself drawn to the source of the new sounds, she couldn't help the tightening of her chest when she thought of how domestic the scene before her looked. Tie off, shirt loosened and untucked he stood stirring a pot as he continued to sing aloud. She was amazed at how her throat seized up and the emotions she felt swirling around simply watching him, she wasn't supposed to feel this way. She was Temperance Brennan, she didn't need anybody for anything, it was her thing. She used her independence to feel secure, but she was feeling so conflicted as she stood there because in her most self reliant moment she didn't feel one tenth as secure as she did here in this kitchen. 

As she stood there contemplating this she suddenly realized that the singing had stopped and as she looked up shyly she saw the grinning face of her partner trying to restrain what looked to be a demonstration of victory or something like that. She felt her body relax as he jokingly asked "So…like what you see?"

He had heard the door of the bathroom unlock and didn't need to look to the doorway to know she was standing there. He finished the song as he stirred the boiling pot, still restraining the urge to look up because he knew that dinner would burn if he did. Once the pasta was done and he had set it aside he turned to look at her and felt his heart catch in his throat. Her expression was one of deep thought and confusion and he found he was suddenly terrified. She had made such leaps when it came to their changing relationship but ever since he saw the smug ex-agent walk into her office today he found himself scared that this would set them back. She had been quick to recover in the office and he was reassured that his façade had fooled her since she hadn't brought it up at all. Well she had hinted to it when they were discussing dinner plans- he had wanted to take her out and make her forget everything while she had insisted on just eating at home. After going back and forth about takeout and then whose home…here they were. Taking a deep breath he looked her dead on and felt his breath leave his body just as quickly; even if she was scaring the crap out of him, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride when he noticed she was studying him. He once again prepared himself and tried again, this time managing to utter those five words that cracked the silence.

He heard his tone, it sounded reasonably upbeat and he sent a silent thanks to the big guy upstairs for that much. Underneath that he felt his stomach turning over and knew that he was anything but joking. What if she said no, that this had all been a mistake? He wasn't sure if he could handle that, that was one of the few things in his life that would break him. It was about even with the thought of his son being injured or lost and as much he tried to tell himself that she felt equally, he knew he couldn't be sure.

She was no idiot, she may not be the best at reading people but when it came to fear and anguish, well she had some experience in that area. And she felt an overwhelming rush of guilt when she saw those fears pass through his eyes, she had put that there and now it was her chance to wipe it away. She smiled and moved across the room slowly, beginning to speak as she walked. "Leave it to you Mr. Alpha male to try and guess what I'm thinking. And before you say anything I know I'm right because if you had any clue what I was thinking you wouldn't be standing there staring at me like a scared child, at least I hope not." Her tone was softer than usual, and while her words were harsh out of context she knew they were stern enough to get his attention while her gentle delivery cushioned the blow. Finding herself standing in front of him she continued on slowly and deliberately. "He left my life, Seeley" She felt his intake of breath at her use of his given name, saved only for special occasions. "He left me. He hurt me and it took me time to get over that, I'm not going to lie to you. That was a long time ago, so much has changed since then and I wouldn't go back if you paid me. I don't want somebody who is that able to leave and I'm glad that he left, because he showed me that he wasn't who I thought he could be. There has been one person in my life that has never left me, never shown me any reason to doubt him and never steered me wrong. He may be the most frustrating man alive who worries too much and feels the need to protect me 24/7 … but despite all that he is the one person who makes me **want **to depend on him, to lean on him no matter what. And when I'm with him I feel safer and happier than I ever felt alone." She paused and realized her voice had adopted a husky tone that melted into her eyes which were locked on his own.

He cleared his throat. "Sounds like one hell of a guy" he offered gently looking down at her.

She smiled and pulling him down to her she whispered "The best" before her lips met his and they forgot all about the conversation.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter is a little odd...I'm gonna say that up front. I hope you like it though and rest assured more is coming. Rating up to T although its really not that bad. Depending on how you guys thing I wrote this I will consider how I'm going to go on.

Miller gets the reviewer prize which this week is a cake with a shirtless Booth that pops out! Enjoy! I do reply to reviews, all of them but has been acting weird so if I don't get back to you I promise I tried! And you can always reach me via messaging too!

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Who would have thought that a straight edge forensic anthropologist and cocky federal agent would be making out in the aforementioned agents kitchen? The number of potential guessers goes even lower if you explain exactly who the pair is. Because Temperance Brennan does not just go around making out with guys and Seeley Booth may seem like a womanizer but the truth is he is a hopeless romantic. In a way they are both hopeless and their desperation has drawn them closer until the pinnacle- making out in a kitchen while their dinner got cold.

Booth gasped for air as she pulled away slightly, not realizing how urgent his need for air had become. His hands still firmly entangled in her hair and on the small of her back, pressing her against him, he tried to quiet his ragged breath. Moaning sadly as she pulled out of his arms completely he looked at her expectantly.

"Bones?" he was pleasantly surprised at the husky tone his voice possessed at the moment and watched as her eyes darkened with desire and he found his back pressed against his own kitchen wall.

Her lips grazed his ear as she whispered raggedly "I love it when you call me Bones" then laughing lightly she captured his mouth in hers once more and allowed her hands to roam his chest longingly. Hearing his moan transfer directly into her mouth she deepened the kiss and held onto him as if her very life depended upon it. Which it very well might have.

* * *

Booth looked at the lump of pasta stuck in the pot with a shake of his head and a smile. He had already placed the order for pizza, now he was faced with the task of cleaning up their forgotten dinner. Feeling a pair of delicate arms encircle his waist he sighed and moved his own hands to cover hers.

She snuck a peek at the pot and chuckled lightly. "Dinosaur shaped pasta Booth? You really did go out of your way to impress me…"

He blushed a bit and whirled her around in his arms so they were face to face. "You actually should thank Parker for that, although thinking about it now…it was strangely appropriate." He smiled down at her lovingly and they rocked back and forth, gazes locked.

The shrill call of the doorbell broke the ambiance of the moment and she shuffled over to the cabinet to retrieve plates while he paid for the pizza. Hearing him at the door with the delivery boy and allowed herself a moment to lean against the counter and thank whoever it was you thank in these moments. Booth would insist on his God, and at the moment she didn't care who caused this happiness she just knew that she never wanted it to go away. As she opened her eyes she saw the doorframe fill with her partner carrying the bulky pizza box and couldn't help the grin that overcame her features when she heard him ask her the simplest question she had ever heard.

"Hungry Bones?"

She stood for a moment trying to sort her thoughts, she was indeed _very_ hungry but for so many things. She finally decided that one of them was in fact food and she nodded slowly "Starving"


	5. Chapter 5

ohhh my gosh guys. sorry for the wait! ahh! never meant to keep y'all waitin so long! I had semester break and between holidays and then a trip down to New Orleans (i went with a group and rebuilt houses...very rewarding. I reccomend it to anybody who has the chance) and then no internet back home...yikes. But here is the continuation. I hope you enjoy it. Annnd remember- Reviews are like crack. But legal and ... more addictive. haha I already have the next chapter semi-written so don't expect the same wait. Love y'all! Hope your holidays were fantastic!

-sgh

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Both slightly buzzed from the beers with their pizza they argued over where to sleep with Brennan insisting on taking the couch and Booth insisting on them both taking his bed. Comfort first was his motto. It was decided that only one thing could settle such an argument and after 3 rounds of rock, paper, scissors they both stumbled into his bedroom, blindly searching for the light switch.

He dug around his dresser until he pulled out a pair of boxers and an old t shirt- The Clash. Tossing them on the bed he gestured towards the bathroom and reclined slightly on the mattress. He instead found himself riveted as she stripped down to her underwear where she stood. With a teasing smile on her face she stood for a few moments in her delicate black lace bra and matching boy short panties before grabbing the clothes. She was laughing at his openmouthed expression as she pulled on the boxers and tugged the shirt over her head. Walking over she kissed him softly before pulling him onto the bed.

B&B&B&B&B&B

He opened his eyes and felt oddly alone, which he confirmed as he felt where his partner should have been resting. Quiet panic rising in his chest he glanced around, relieved to see her things still present but not her actual being. Intrigued he sat up and stretched, listening for any indication of where she might be. As he stood he almost tripped over his shoes, careless strewn. He chuckled and made his way to the living room.

He was struck by the emotion the atmosphere of his living room presented him. It was a painfully delicate balance they were on right now- both still unsure but completely committed. He glanced around his living room- coffee table littered with paper plates, the remnants of their pizza and a few beer cans; Parkers toys neatly piled in the corner….everything seemed so normal and domestic. Any visitor would assume it was a normal family, no longer a bachelor pad or a nursery (he had not been fond of that stage in Parker's life, as much as he loved his son). There were bookshelves of childrens stories, Seeley's novels (of course Temperance's books had their own section in his collection) and knick-knacks. The well loved and used couch was aimed at the television with a coffee table in between...even the presence of the woman's jacket and shoes right alongside his own by the door screamed domesticity. The cliche was that men hate this- hate the signs of change and losing their lifestyle but as he stood there looking into the room he realized he didn't hate it, it signaled a new change in his life and it excited him. He kind of liked it, as a matter of fact.

He went back to his mission and glanced towards the door. Her bag rested near her shoes and coat, confirming his suspicion that she was still in the apartment and he felt the light bulb go off as he turned and strode purposefully into his kitchen. There he found her huddled form clutching a mug of coffee and refusing to meet his gaze. He looked her over; she was still dressed in his clothes, her hair was unbrushed and she was wearing a pair of his bright striped socks. She looked amazing but he hated the pain he saw in her body language, hated the tense posture she held herself in. He said nothing as he sat down next to her and finally looked into her eyes, seeing tears gathering. Feeling his resolve crumble he gathered her up into the tightest embrace he could manage and kissed her hair.

"I….I didn't run. I mean. I woke….this morning I had this rush…like it just hit me how huge this is. And I almost thought of running Seeley. I almost put my shoes on and walked out that door. I didn't want to….I don't want to because…because I love you but I still almost did it. And I don't know why." She was shaking by the end of her halting explanation ended with a whispered request "Don't let me go Seeley. Don't let me go"

He ignored the emotions stuck in his throat and pulled her closer to him, rocking back and forth. "Never. I'll never let you go. I promise." He felt her wrap around him and he let her bury her head in his neck. He felt whole. In this single moment he felt more complete and more alive than he had in any other facet of his life. He didn't feel the cramp in his shoulder from the awkward position, nor the arm of the chair digging into his side. He felt only her hair on his face, her arms around his neck and her being molded to him. There was only them. Nobody else mattered or existed which suited both of them just fine, it seemed.

The shrill whistle of the FBI issue cell phone jolted them from their dreaming however and with a sigh; Brennan disentangled herself from his grasp and climbed out of his lap to hand him his phone from the counter.

Booth muttered under his breath, this had better be damn good for interrupting that moment and when he saw the caller id he knew it was going to be messy. Partly to piss his caller off he followed formality, "Booth" he briskly stated.

"Seeley stop being a jerk. I know you have caller id. Listen, I need a favor. Brent and I want to take Parker out of town this weekend for a trip. It's a long weekend and we are going to take him to that amusement park he has been asking about for ages. He's really excited; I just wanted to let you know because of the court order and all."

He took a deep breath and steadied himself before speaking "Rebecca you know this is my weekend with Parker, it's not like the amusement park is going anywhere. Can't you do this some other time? Please?" He was pleading by the end and closed his eyes, involuntarily.

"Not this time. When I said favor...well it's not really up for debate, this is more of a courtesy call. We are going to the amusement park; you can trade weekends or an extra holiday or something. Do you want me to put him on the phone? He's been asking about you."

His jaw tensed and he felt rage surging through his veins as he listened. Parker was his son and he had no rights...he was about to tell his ex exactly how he felt when he heard the last part. His heart swelled at the thought of his son asking to talk to him and he agreed, making a mental note to discuss how they need to handle these situations with Rebecca and Brent. . As he waited for the young boy to pick up the receiver he noticed Brennan's hand on his shoulder and pulled her down into his lap nestling her on the opposite side of the phone. She leaned her head against his shoulder and grabbed his free hand, winding her fingers through his.

"Hey buddy! Yeah, I heard about the park, those roller coasters are going to be awesome! If you like it maybe I can take you there sometime too, how's that? It would be cool, wouldn't it? I'll have to ask Dr. Bones what she thinks but I'm sure she would come with us. I promise. You have to go already? Ok Park you have fun and be safe- I love you."

By the time he hung up he was holding back stray tears, and crying was not something he did often. Sniffing a bit and looking at the woman hugging him tightly he softly stated "Well I don't have Parker this weekend." He meant to go on but found himself at a loss for words. He simply shook his head and and sighed. "I just...-"

Placing a finger over his lips she shushed him and nodded.

"I'm sorry Seeley."


	6. Chapter 6

Ok this chapter was meant to introduce a little twisty type element but it got away from me and ended up as an entirely flufftacular mess. Hope you guys don't mind TOO much, haha. I'm already working on the next chapter so don't expect a long wait.

HUGE thanks to all my fabulous reviewers- you guys are freaking awesome and you make my day. Even if you just write 'good job' or 'needs work' ...details are nice, but just knowing that people read this makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Without further ado...

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She wasn't sure how long they sat like that. Him holding back his pent up frustration and sadness while she stayed cradled in his arms. Normally she would have balked at such a submissive gesture but somewhere in her subconscious she knew this was exactly what he needed at the moment. He needed her to just be there in his arms and if she was being completely honest with herself….there really was no other place she would rather be.

As comfortable as she felt she knew that it was doing him no good sitting around moping and as much as she hated the soft sciences…he needed to get out and about. Running several scenarios through her mind she found one she liked but was unsure about how he would receive it…would it remind him of Parker too much? It was worth a shot she thought and with a deep breath she leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"Let's blow this joint" she used the lingo Jack had used in the lab a few days prior, desperately hoping she had captured it correctly. His stunned yet slightly proud gaze told her she was dead on and she shrugged in response to his un-asked question "What? I'm catching on. Steep learning curve, remember?"

She stood and slowly pulled him up next to her. "I think we could both use some fresh air and getting out of the apartment…as fun as it is here." She winked suggestively at the last comment making him laugh and hug her tight.

"I think that's a wonderful idea Temperance. Where exactly did you have in mind?" he asked knowing she had this outing planned but was taken off guard by her answer.

"The park?"

It's not like he expected her to say the lab or the museum … actually wait, yes he did. He was momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered and voiced his approval.

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She had been worried that the park held too many memories of his son, that her suggestion would only serve to make their situation worse but it was quite the opposite she discovered happily. It was a beautiful day and while there were many families with children present, there were just as many joggers and couples out enjoying the temperate weather.

Strolling first hand in hand and then with his strong arm protectively around her waist she found herself at ease and content. Quick glances stolen at his face showed he felt the same; well that and the fact that he kept stopping to twirl her around and kiss her. She had been caught off guard the first time, but instead of resisting the gesture she was surprised to find herself giggling. Never before had a man made her so care-free and so happy, it was new and confusing but most of all refreshing. They were like love struck teens on their first 'real' date and as corny as it seemed, she loved it.

He wasn't sure why he couldn't stop admiring her. She had been worried about something, he could tell as they were getting ready and the first half of their walk; what exactly he wasn't sure. He tried to ease her concerns though by showing her just how much he cared for her. He couldn't get enough of her. First it was holding hands, then he moved on to holding her waist and now he had progressed to kissing her at shorter and shorter intervals. By the time they reached the favorite part of the trail, where it branched off to a grove of trees and small pond, they were completely oblivious to the outside world.

She followed him as they moved towards an old oak tree, following his lead. He sat against the trunk and she settled down next to him. He smiled down at her before looking out at the pond wistfully. She couldn't take her eyes off him. Hearing him sigh she decided to break the silence.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to see Parker. I know how much you enjoy your time with him and…" she spoke softly and trailed off as she caught his gaze. Her heart soared and almost split in half when she saw the combination of pure love and unshed tears that lingered in his chocolate stare.

She watched as he opened his mouth to speak then quickly closed it and felt him pull her into a strong embrace. He held her close, burying his face in her hair and she heard the two words that just about undid her – "Thank you"

He insisted on leaving their Kodak moment for nourishment, leaving Brennan to wonder exactly what could get his mind off food. Not that she minded, she had been ignoring her own pangs of hunger for at least an hour.

Sitting across from him at the diner she let her eyes travel his already memorized features. From his strong jaw to his soft yet powerful lips (firsthand experience was a plus in that area) and finally settling on his intense brown eyes. She had witnessed a fair share of horrific acts but when she thought of what his own eyes had seen…it made her blood run just a little bit colder. It was no secret he had inner demons and she knew it was a daily struggle, one she wanted to make a little bit easier for him.

The waitress who came to take their order was not familiar with the pair so while Booth explained their order to her Brennan took the opportunity to be spontaneous and channeled her 'inner Angela'. Smiling softly she slipped her foot out of her shoe and gently rubbed against his leg. Watching as his expression went from calmly waiting while the waitress scribbled to pure surprise to what she put in the category of lust. By the time they were alone again she didn't even care how it looked.

It was the longest lunch she could remember.


	7. Chapter 7

I finished this chapter and even though I didn't get reviews on the last one (remember I need you guys to let me know how I'm doing!) I wanted to post this for y'all.

I have very little experience with the custody system but through the generous help of some sources on my college campus and independant research I have been able to get enough basis for the purpose of the story. Any comments feel free to let me know.

I'm already working on the next chapter and reviews make them come faster...nudge nudge. haha

-sgh

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She could tell there was something off about him. He was still upset over losing his weekend with Parker but it looked like this was deeper. She may not have been good at reading people but she knew him.

His distant gaze, furrowed brow and inattention to the football game on TV were her clues but ever the rational scientist she decided to test her findings. She slowly picked up the remote control and changed the station from the Steelers game to a chick-flick she found on HBO. Recognizing the main actor, a British man whose name she could never remember, she smiled realizing it was the movie Angela had dragged her to see a few months back. As the first chords of the cheesy song 'Pop goes my heart' came through the speakers she saw him emerge from his trance. Looking first at the image on his television screen then down at her questioningly.

She laughed "Well you weren't watching the game…" She saw him start to protest and cut it off with "If you were watching, what was the score?" She saw his face go blank and then instead of the playful smirk she expected she just saw the return of tenseness. Clicking the TV off and setting the remote down she turned on the couch to face him, folding her legs underneath her.

"What is it? You can tell me…"

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He had been running it through his head for the past day. It had always been a flicker in his subconscious but suddenly it was a neon sign, impossible to ignore. His son. Parker was his son but he had no rights when it came to the child. They never officially went to court so he paid Rebecca a little each month, saw the boy on her terms and that was it. He wanted that to change though, a weekend every once in awhile and a couple holidays out of the year just weren't enough anymore.

He knew he wanted to do it; he was going to do it. But he had no idea where to start, how to get any documentation he needed…he was a cop, not a lawyer. Shit. He would need a lawyer. It was overwhelming him and he hadn't even done anything yet.

Glancing over at his partner (girlfriend? They still hadn't defined that yet…) he sighed heavily. Best to do it quickly, he reasoned. Clearing his throat and grasping her hands in his own he began. "I've been thinking a lot over the past few years and even more recently…what happened this weekend cemented it….Bones…I'm going to try for joint custody of Parker" He chanced a glance at her. He knew this was rough territory for established couples but for such a new relationship and with her history, he wasn't sure what to expect.

It sure as hell wasn't what he got though.

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She listened to his speech and heard the anguish in his voice. Silently cursing Rebecca she quickly came to a conclusion. Booth had been there for her…all the time, every time. From discovering her mothers remains to dealing with her criminal father and brother to being buried alive and kidnapped. He was ALWAYS there for her. And now she could be there for him. She wanted to be there for him and his son, who was admittedly growing on her.

"Count me in. I want to help you with this…however you want to let me. I understand if there are parts you would rather do alone" she paused and looked into his eyes "but I am here for however much you want me to be. For the record…you both deserve more. It's cruel how Rebecca uses Parker as a bargaining chip and I know you can win this."

She knew he could too. She had some knowledge of the process from her days in the system. She knew that they needed a paternity test, a lawyer and copies of any financial support he provided over the years just a starting point. Once he affirmed that he wanted her help she told him her mental list.

He nodded and thought for a moment before speaking "Wow. Well I kept records of my payments to Rebecca so I can dig those out but I'm guessing this is a little out of Caroline's field of expertise…I don't have a lawyer other than her.." he trailed off and frowned slightly.

"We can ask Caroline about this! Brilliant idea Booth! Even if she won't act as your official legal counsel you can get off the record advice from her, I'm sure she has dealt with this before. And she can recommend somebody to help us out. I mean you, help you out" she was so caught up in her excitement she barely caught her slip and blushed as she corrected it quickly.

She felt his hand under her chin and when she met his gaze he was smiling wider than she thought possible. "You were right the first time Bones. Us. You are a part of this…family I guess you could call it. Never doubt that." His soft tone made her chest tighten and she forced herself to blink away tears that suddenly welled in her eyes.

"Thank you" she told him sincerely. She had a family. A new phrase, but something she could definitely get used to.

He broke the following silence by clapping and standing up, pulling her with him. "So, records of payment to Rebecca?" He led her to a small filing cabinet and opening a drawer pulled out a thick file which he laid in her hands. "Here" he said as he handed over the information and grabbed her hand to lead her to the dining room table. Watching as she sat down, opened the file and started flipping through the highlighted bank statements he felt a fresh surge of happiness flow through his veins. He had been worried about how she would react but she surprised him yet again just reaffirming what he already knew- he was a very lucky man.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys! I'm so glad to hear that people are still enjoying this. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations- i did alot of research and tried to get everything right. It's longer than I thought it would be but I think it works. The next chapter will have the diner scene and then who knows? Keep reviewing for me!

love y'all lots!

-sgh

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He straightened his tie for the millionth time and looked around nervously. Shifting in the uncomfortable plastic seat he moves to rise and resume his pacing but feels someone grasp his hand and squeeze it gently. He looks over and gets lost in her reassuring smile and honestly caring eyes.

His lawyer, Victor something, stands by the door with a manila file. The kid came highly recommended by Caroline Julian, he was the best for family court, she said. Booth had been doubtful, wondering why the government was so keen on hiring adolescents for such high-powered jobs…that is until he heard the man speak. This lawyer defined the term powerhouse…Rebecca's poor attorney wouldn't know what hit him. He shook his head as he stroked the hand still clasped within his own and felt her lean her head against his shoulder. He took advantage of the moment, kissing the top of her head then resting his head on hers.

Several minutes later they were awoken from their peaceful waiting by the hustle of Booth's incoming ex-girlfriend and child. Biting back a sigh that he was putting his son through this, he met the hostile gaze of the blonde before seeing his son's innocent gaze and he forced a smile for the boy, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest as he got a smile and wave in return. He stood and once again grabbing his partners hand he looked at her "You ready?"

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She couldn't believe it had gone this far, Rebecca had been far from accommodating to the requests and was insisting on taking the matter through the courts. She knew how much this pained Booth, having to drag his son through this and found herself lacking any respect for the woman she once held in some regard.

She was wondering if Booth would want her to be here, he had insisted on involving her in every aspect of his life and this dilemma. She didn't mind, she loved both him and his son so spending time with them was certainly no chore. And frankly she was glad he chose to have her accompany him. He was strong but he needed a support system, somebody to lean on and she loved being that for him. As she settled down next to him in the small court room she kept her hand in his and gave a reassuring squeeze as the judge began to speak.

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Rebecca and her lawyer did exactly what Booth had said they would. They claimed he was unfit, his job was too dangerous, he wasn't home enough, his home wasn't a stable environment- they tore him to shreds. Luckily Parker had been moved to a separate room with a ward of the state while they discussed the hard issues.

When Victor stood Booth felt all his worries vanish. The kid may look like a pre-pubescent comic book nerd but he knew what he was doing. He presented the financial statements of support, making sure to mention that they were completely voluntary; along with the documents showing he had a long term lease on his apartment in a good neighborhood, affidavits from various sources stating his ability as a parent. They were well prepared to say the very least.

The judge delved into every area of his life from work to personal. When the subject of providing more than parent in the household came up, Brennan swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment. Victor had warned them that this was going to be done and it was their 'secret weapon' of sorts, since Rebecca was under the impression Seeley was still single. She nodded when he asked if she was involved with her partner and approached the witness stand tentatively.

"My name is Dr. Temperance Brennan – Yes, I am involved in a romantic relationship with Seeley and have been for a little over a month now but we have been close friends for almost 4 years. We are partners at work; I am a forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian." She paused and listened to the question the judge asked her before answering immediately.

"I have absolutely no doubts about his ability to be a good father or provide a stable and loving home for Parker. He has been doing it for years already and with no complaints until he requested structured scheduling. Parker is safe and supervised at all times, he loves being at his dad's. And to answer the second part of your question- yes. I too love Parker and plan on being there to help however I can." She finally looked over at his table and met his eyes, noticing the sheen of tears that glistening lightly as he nodded his head in thanks. Smiling for the judge once more she asked politely "Is that all?"

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Victor leaned over and whispered that it was going great, they still had one last obstacle to overcome before they could count their blessings though. With Brennan settled beside him and her hand once again clasped in his own he watched as the ward led his blonde haired son inside the room. Looking around nervously he grinned when he caught sight of his father and waved enthusiastically.

His questioning went similar to the previous witnesses and Booth couldn't help but squeeze his partner's hand tighter has he watched his son up there.

"My name is Parker Booth. I'm 6 years old and go to Woodcrest Elementary. – I like school, not the homework but seeing my friends is fun. I also like when we take field trips, we went to the zoo and the museum!" he animatedly filled the courtroom in on his classes escapades before the judge gently redirected his focus

"Parker I have some serious questions for you. Nothing scary but I need you to tell the truth. You know the difference between the truth and a lie, right?" When the boy nodded the judge smiled and continued "Ok, so do you like going to your father's apartment? Do you do fun things?"

Parker grinned and looked at Booth nodding. "I love going to my dad's. We play games and watch movies and he taught me how to play soccer! Plus I like Dr. Bones a lot too, she knows EVERYTHING."

The judge paused the boy until the nick-name was explained and then asked the boy his final question- "Parker, has your father or Dr. Brennan ever hit you or hurt you in anyway? Have you ever been scared of them for some reason?"

Parker looked seriously at the judge as he answered "It's Dr. Bones and no- my daddy never hits me and neither does she. I love going over there, I wish I could stay there more often." He smiled slightly and when the judge dismissed him, he was led out of the room again.

"I feel no need to prolong this matter- it seems clear that Mr. Booth is a perfectly capable father in the eyes of the law and his son, for that matter. I am ordering a joint custody agreement between the two of you effective immediately. I also am going to put forth an order of child support, similar to the amounts you have been paying in the past Mr. Booth. Do you both understand what I have just said? Any questions regarding this matter should be directed to my clerk. Have a nice day" With that the gavel came down and Booth sat in shock for a moment.

He had won. They had won. He and Brennan had joint custody of his son. Suddenly realizing exactly what happened he jumped out of his seat and pulled his smiling partner towards him. She started to speak but he silenced her with a kiss, their tears of joy mingling where their mouths met. As they pulled apart he turned to shake hands with Victor, holding Brennan close to his side. His arm snaked around her waist as he moved across the aisle and stood in front of Rebecca. A slight smile on his face he offered his hand and with an eye-roll and a scowl she shook it for a millisecond before brushing him away and walking towards the door. His face fell a bit as he sighed and turned back towards his lawyer.

"We should have the terms of the custody agreement by the end of the business day. Your child support will commence next month as per the level set by the judge today and you remember what we talked about with regards to missing a month? Don't do it."

Booth smiled and nodded. "Victor I'm having a celebratory dinner tonight at the Royal Diner and I would love for you to come. I'm going to run and ask Rebecca if Parker can attend too." As the lawyer smiled and nodded his acceptance Booth rattled off times and jogged out to find his son having his jacket zipped by Rebecca's current boyfriend. Clearing his throat he nervously glanced at her and gestured he wanted a word away from the others.

"Listen Rebecca, I know you are probably upset over today and all but I'm taking some people out for dinner tonight and wanted to know if I could have Parker for dinner. Before you say no- it's 6 o clock at the Royal Diner, Bones invited the squint squad and our lawyer Victor will be there…you are welcome to come if you want but it would mean a lot if Parker could be there"

"I'll see what I can do Seeley." She answered tersely before going back to the boy and grabbing his hand, leading him through the stone pillars and out the door.

Sighing he walked back over to Bones and smiled tightly "It was a long shot. We'll have to see if she shows."

"I hope she does, but if not- we'll find a way to make it up to him. All the missed opportunities. I promise." With that she found herself once again engaged in a passionate lip lock on government property. Not that she cared.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry this took longer than expected guys...life sneaks up on you at the worst times! But here is the next chapter. I'm not sure how happy I am with it, its VERY fluffy and I might be starting to stray a little OOC- let me know if you think I am. I'm working on the Rebecca hate but from seeing her past interactions with Booth, this is just how I imagine her attitude would be. I welcome comments however, feel free to let me know what you think! Reviews make me dance around like a maniac. much to the dismay of my roommate, haha.

much love,

sgh

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They stood around a cluster of tables that had been pushed together. Squints and FBI agents mingling and managing not to shoot or poison each other. It was a beautiful thing, Booth thought with a slight smile as he looked at the scene before him. Cullen was having an animated conversation with Hodgins, god only knows where that would be going; poor Angela would be hearing all about it tonight. He turned as a fellow agent patted him on the back and shook his hand in congratulations. He stood there smiling and talking to his peer when he felt an arm encircle his waist. Glancing down he pressed a kiss to her hair and pulled her close. The agent winked at Booth then moved on with a knowing smile.

"It's a fun little get-together, right?" he asked hesitantly and her sincere nod showed that she wasn't fooled.

She pulled him aside and took his face in her hands "He might still show up. And like I told you before, this is just the beginning. Of so much for him and you. If he doesn't make it tonight then we take him out another time…we WILL make this up to him. That much I promise you. Trust me, Booth." Her voice was wavering only slightly as she begged him for his acceptance.

With a sheen of tears visible in his eyes he pulled her close and buried his face in her neck. "Thank you. I couldn't….You…." he mumbled into her hair as she soothingly shushed him. After about a minute he heard her chuckle "Will you look at that…See Booth- I am always right."

He lifted his head and still not releasing his hold on her hand he looked out the window and what he saw almost took his breath away. His son, blond curls bobbing in the light breeze dragging Rebecca down the sidewalk and pointing towards the door. He jogged over to hold the door open as the pair stumbled in. Parker grabbed onto his legs and hugged tight, saying the four words that melted his heart "I missed you daddy". He ruffled the boy's hair and answered "I missed you too Park."

He was vaguely aware that his legs were freed and he turned his attention the slightly nervous blonde woman standing in front of him. He watched as she shifted from foot to foot, eyes darting everywhere but meeting his gaze.

"He really wanted to come and well…it wasn't right for me to keep him away I guess." Her tight expression and stiff tone told him that this was not her choice. He smiled gratefully and looked at her.

"Rebecca…thank you. This really means a lot to me…" he trailed off and saw her roll her eyes.

"Whatever Seeley, just bring him home after the dinner" She saw his face fall and in the pit of her stomach felt a twisting ache. Just as she reached for the door handle she looked up at him with a smile "Although if you don't mind it would be nice to have a night to myself…do you have clothes and such for him to spend the night?" He nodded, amazed at the change in attitude. He knew it wouldn't last very long but was momentarily reminded of the good times they had as a couple. As the door slammed shut he turned and felt his heart once again grow several sizes. The scene was so simple and innocent yet spoke volumes when the context was considered.

Bones was tickling Parker as his son tried to catch her off guard. He watched as the scientist who claimed to have no skills with children…he watched her pick up his son and twirl him around. He noticed several others were watching as well but the pair seemed oblivious to the attention. He saw several agents and his boss pick up their suit jackets and move towards the door and him. Shaking hands with them he accepted the congratulations offered. Cullen was the last to shake hands with Booth and the smile on his face was sincere as he nodded and said "Congratulations Booth. You are an exemplary agent and I should hope you use the same consideration as a father. I know you'll do right by him." With that he nodded and stepped into the night.

Booth stood still for a second shocked by his superior's statement. It was the highest form of flattery from the hardened man and it made him smile. They could do this, everyone else knew they could and now he did too. He made his way back to the remaining guests and grabbed his son, lifting him up and hugging him tight.

"It's good to have you Park. You and Bones having fun?" He settled the child on a chair and sat next to him. He grabbed the hand of the forensic anthropologist and pulled her into his lap.

"Dr. Bones is SOO much fun daddy! She's really smart and…" he lowered his voice to a whisper and moved closer to Booth's ear "I really like her, is she staying around for awhile?" The little boy looked so hopeful that Booth chanced only a fleeting glance at the woman in front of him, catching her subtle wink before she resumed looking around the establishment and whistling. Grinning he whispered back "She is going to be around for a VERY long time. Ok?"

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"Are you sure this is ok? I mean with Parker staying over and all?" Brennan looked around Booth's apartment nervously.

"Relax Bones…Parker knows that you are an important part of my life and therefore it is not strange for you to be here. Believe me, he likes you…he'd probably rather spend the time with you than me right now" His words were joking but she caught the hidden meanings underneath his light tone.

"Stop being ridiculous. That boy idolizes you and all he wants to talk about is his daddy's job with the BFI." She smiled and touched his arm gently "Wants to know if you really catch bad guys and make them pay for what they did. You are his superman Booth. He loves you more than you realize." She spoke softly but firmly, not willing to let him wallow. This was a happy day and a starting point for him and for them. "Another thing you may not realize is how much I have come to appreciate both you and Parker. He is an amazing little boy, just like his dad. I was serious about being here for you guys- thick and thin. Don't try and do this all by yourself, its ok to ask for help." She reached up and wound her arms around his neck gently swaying and pulling his head down to meet her own. Just as their lips were about to meet they heard the yell.

"DADDY!! I can't find my toothbrush!" Booth sighed and looked down longingly at the smiling doctor.

"Go…he needs his toothbrush. I'll be here when you come back." She reached up and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips before shoving him in the direction of the bathroom. He found the toothbrush and after making sure his son was thoroughly settled in bed (amid promises of chocolate chip pancakes and planning their first weekend together) he returned to the living room. He found his girlfriend sprawled on the couch leafing through a magazine he left on his coffee table.

He sat down in the space she created for him then allowing herself to settle back down resting against his chest. With a sigh she closed her eyes and snuggled herself into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

Eyes still closed she spoke softly "What did Cullen say to you at the diner? It must have been good- you were grinning from ear to ear when you came back." She felt his gentle chuckle reverberate through his chest as he answered "Well he said I was, and I quote 'an exemplary agent' and he wanted to wish me luck. Said he knew I would do right by Parker…"

She lifted her head and looked at him proudly "While I'm agreeing with all those facts, that's pretty high praise from him!"

Booth nodded and shifted slightly "I know, I was kind of shocked. I didn't really thank him properly." At his frown Brennan laughed and sitting up replied "I'm pretty sure he knows you are grateful for the support." She paused for a moment then continued "He's been really great about all of this lately, I hate this probation and review committee but all things considered…he must really respect and value you. I honestly expected him to sever our partnership- that would be hell. I'm never breaking in another agent, once is enough for me!" She ended on a joking note and as he started laughing she stood and asked "I'm going to grab a drink- you want anything? Beer? Organic Soymilk?"

He reminded her of Parker when he stuck out his tongue at the final suggestion, asking for a beer. She grabbed the bottle and a bottle of water for herself as she headed back into the living room. She was definitely getting used to this whole domestic thing.


	10. Chapter 10

You are all allowed to throw things at me. I suck at updating apparently lol. This story is on the top of my things to do now though so if you like it...it should be updated pretty regularly now. Review Away! xoxo -sgh

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Brennan groaned as she felt the sunlight hitting her face harshly through slits in the blinds. Turning over and sighing before pulling herself out of bed she grabbed one of Booth's sweatshirts and padded out of the bedroom. She heard voices and excited laughter coming from the kitchen and she smiled, remembering the previous evening suddenly. She turned the corner and saw the excited little boy grabbing syrup from the fridge and bringing it to the table, spotting her when he turned around and squealed loudly "Bonessss! Daddy said we had to let you sleep but I didn't want you to miss breakfast…We made pancakes!!!" His excitement was contagious and she couldn't help but squat down and hug the boy tight. Ruffling his curly hair as she stood she turned to Booth who had paused in his cooking endeavor to lean down and give her a chaste kiss. "Morning!" he greeted her cheerfully before returning to his cooking.

She returned the sentiment and grabbed strawberries from the fridge. Beckoning Parker over she asked if he would help her with the fruit and caught a thankful glance from Booth who seemed to have run out of ideas to occupy the boy. She lifted him up and set him on the counter next to the sink. Opening the plastic container she told him to run them under the tap to get all the dirt off and then place them on the paper towel she laid on the counter. He nodded and started with his job, being very thorough she noted. As he laid the fruit down she cut off the leafy tops and sliced them, placing them in a bowl. After about 5 minutes they had washed and sliced the entire container and she gave Parker a high five before setting him back on the floor.

Booth had been watching them for about a minute now and was amazed at how they worked so well together. Clapping his hands he declared "Breakfast is served guys! Lets dig in!" Brennan urged the boy to the table as she threw out the scraps from her fruit. Placing the bowl on the table next to the pile of pancakes she avoided making any health remarks when she saw the amount of syrup the boy was using. A moment later she decided he must have inherited his love for processed sugar from his father who also used a similar amount. Shaking her head with a smile she spooned some fruit atop her pancakes and began to eat.

Breakfast was filled with easygoing banter and as promised, plans for their next weekend together. After much debate it was decided that they would go to the zoo and then have a movie night with as much popcorn as they could eat. Noticing his girlfriend's silence during the meal he waited until Parker had run to wash up and get ready to go home before mentioning anything. As they carried the dishes into the kitchen he asked softly "You are going to come with us to the zoo, right Bones? If you don't like the zoo I'm sure we can go somewhere else…" He trailed off nervously and looked at her. He had a dream last night that she had left. She had decided that this was all too much, too soon…too intense for her to take. He woke in a sweat, panting and couldn't calm down until he held her. Breathing in her scent and feeling her warmth. It was irrational but her silence and detachment this morning made him wonder if the dream was predicting her behavior. He had a bad history with dreams though so the theory didn't strike him as entirely impossible.

Looking up at him she saw pure, unrestrained emotion that almost looked like fear, in his eyes. Shaking her head she started the tap and grabbed the dish soap. "I'm not coming to zoo with you and Parker…not because I'm angry or don't want to spend time with you, I actually feel quite the opposite, but because this is your first time with him as with your new 'dad powers' as Parker described it to me...It's a big deal Booth and I'm not imposing myself on you. I know you and Parker could use some alone, grown up guy bonding time as Angela would say" She paused and looked over "I'm not leaving you, I'm not scared. I'm giving you space, both of you."

Booth looked at her like she had two heads. The last thing he wanted from her was space…quite the opposite in fact. He ran through it in his mind…the time had come to unveil his grand plans. This was not how he planned it but since when had she gone by a plan? Smiling he realized he was just standing there, probably affirming her notion that he wanted her to back off. Reaching over he opened the cupboard and grabbed a small box from behind the travel coffee mugs. He walked closer and shut off the tap and handed her a towel wordlessly. Watching as she dried off her hands slowly, he began "Listen Bones. I love you. More than you know really. The thought was great but Parker…well he is going to be sad if you don't come. I think he chose the zoo so you could tell him all about the animals, so he could impress his friends and teacher. He loves you too. We both…we want you around. For awhile if you will have us" He paused and opened the box in his hand revealing two identical silver bands. At her gasp he chuckled lightly. "It's not what you think, calm down. These are promise…or commitment rings. One for me and one for you…It's kind of cheesy but I know how you feel about marriage and I wanted a way to show you…well if you don't like it we don't have to do it…" He was stopped by her fingers on his lips.

"Booth" she said simply waiting for him to continue, coherently. She watched his face patiently, urging him on with her eyes "It's ok. I'm not running."

He nodded and took a deep breath "So these rings…I had them made for us. They say 'partners', but are a reminder that we are so much more. And if you have a change of heart and decide you are open to the idea of marriage then you know I am more than willing to go that extra step with you. I…I want you in my life Temperance and Parker wants you in his." He finished and waited for her reply. When she said nothing at first he started mumbling "Yeah, I wasn't sure about the rings. Was it too fast? Or do you want something different? You name it and it's yours"

When she finally met his eyes again she was trying to restrain the tears that were threatening to fall. She answered with a smile though, "The rings…they are perfect Booth." She paused and took a deep breath "I would love to wear your ring Booth and make that promise to you. You still have a ways to go on the marriage argument though" she finished jokingly. She saw his grin and felt him slip the silver band on her finger where it fit perfectly. She took the larger ring and put it on his finger and kissed him gently.

They stood there for a moment before they heard Parker coming down the hall and proclaiming "I'm packed and ready to go dad…and bones!" he added after he turned the corner.

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Sooo. likey? don't like? feel free to give me ideas/constructive crit!


	11. Chapter 11

Ok. So I actually hate this chapter. alot. The first half is alright but the end...ew. Ugh, but I had it mulling all day...with very little improvement. so here we go. you guys get to see the crappiest chapter of the story. hha I promise it WILL get better. Please stick with me. xoxo

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It took some getting used to, having a ring on her left hand she thought silently as she sat on the couch. She held her hand in front of her and saw the way the engraved letters disappeared between her pinky and middle finger as the etchings wrapped around the silver band. She smiled and sighed lightly, as strongly as she protested against marriage there was a strangely comforting aspect to wearing Seeley Booth's ring. She liked it and she knew that he was ecstatic she had accepted the gesture. She felt him sit next to her on the couch and she smiled over at him. He had a knowing smile on his face as he asked innocently "Like the ring?"

She nodded and replied softly "Yeah, I really do actually. I never thought I would…but this feels right." She paused before looking at him and saying "Thank you, for sticking with me through all the crap." With that she found herself being pulled into him and saw him click the movie on as he whispered in her ear "You were more than worth it, I'm a lucky guy" They spent the rest of the night curled up together on the couch watching a movie she wouldn't remember the title of in the morning. She was asleep before the credits started as he yawned and grabbed the remote. Clicking the television off, he then lifted her and carried her into the bedroom. She was already dressed in loose yoga pants and a tank top so he smoothed the covers over her before going back out to the living room to clean up. As he put their cups in the sink and stifled another yawn he shuffled back into the bedroom. She had shifted closer to the middle of his bed, closer to his side. He shook his head as he stripped to his boxers and slid under the covers with her. He moved closer and pulled her towards him, feeling her sigh unconsciously and relax. He soon followed slipping into a slumber with dreams of lazy days on the beach and trips with his new family.

Brennan took a deep breath and wound her fingers with her boyfriend's. He was still off from work, Cullen had given him the rest of the week, so he was dressed casually, but she was anxious to return to the lab. This was her first day back since the custody hearing and also since the rings. She was antsy after 2 days away from the lab, while her partner seemed perfectly content to lounge about all day. They had agreed that she would come in to the lab and he would work on some miscellaneous paperwork in her office. She had wanted him to be with her in case she got overwhelmed when her eagle eyed colleagues noticed her ring. He had been only too willing to agree (and didn't let her know that he simply didn't want to be away from her if he didn't have to) and that was how she found herself walking into the Jeffersonian hand in hand. She nodded at the security guard and was surprised she made it to her office with no interference.

She put her jacket on the hook and took Booth's as well. Sitting down behind her desk she was just booting her computer up when she heard the telltale heels coming down the hall. Booth looked up from his mess of papers and looked panicked, and she laughed at the role reversal. She mouthed the words 'Act Normal' at him before seeing her best friend materialize in the doorway. "Sweetie! I thought Booth was still off…why are you in here?" She asked brightly.

Brennan smiled and gestured towards the couch "He is. I wanted to get some work done though so we are in for a few hours. And anyways, just because Booth is off doesn't mean I am too…its not mutual vacation time Ange." She scoffed lightly hoping her friend didn't notice that she had gestured with her left hand, which now had adornment. No such luck.

The shorter woman strode quickly across the room, ignoring Booth and held out her hand "Let me see your left hand again Sweetie" she asked innocently. Brennan rolled her eyes and held it out. The squeal that was emitted was on the border of breaking glass and Booth found himself being beckoned over to girls.

"Yes it's a ring. No we are not engaged. Yes it means something. No you are not allowed to plan us a fake engagement party. Yes Booth has one as well…any other questions?" the anthropologist answered the questions that hadn't been uttered and left her audience shocked. Her audience which had apparently grown, as she heard clapping from the doorway, to her dismay. Apparently Angela's squeal had drawn attention, as it usually did. Cam stood there with a smile on her face, nodding approvingly while Hodgins was clasping and whistling "Way to go Dr. B! And Booth! See you finally got around to business there, eh?" With a blush Brennan found her way around her desk to stand by Booth who wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yup I did Hodgins. Not a minute too soon either it seems" Booth replied jokingly, as he thought about just how well this was going. Cam came closer and Booth nodded to her, which she returned "I'm happy for you guys. Lord knows it was coming. Let me see your ring Dr. Brennan" As she studied the ring she smiled before looking up at the pair "It's perfect for you, simple but with meaning and easy to wear under latex gloves." She finished with a wink before excusing herself. Soon they found themselves once again in the presence of only Angela. Booth sat on the desk, Brennan went back behind it to answer her phone then sat down, gesturing her friend to take a seat opposite her.

"I'll give you the rundown Ange, and Booth will interrupt if I get anything wrong…" She told the story carefully and Booth only interjected a few times with personal commentary. "So basically we are the same as we were before, couple wise, but just…stronger" She finished with a smile up at the man looking down at her. They were stronger and as much as they had worried that getting involved would lead them astray on the job it actually made them better. Getting the approval of her colleagues had meant a lot to her, especially Cam. She knew that the other woman was no longer interested in Booth romantically but still wondered if that twinge was still there. She shook her mind of those thoughts as she heard Angela congratulating them once more before leaving. Booth turned to her and said "Well that went a lot better than I expected."


	12. Chapter 12

_AHH! Sorry for the wait guys! Thankfully not nearly as long as before though, eh? Hehe_

_Ok so you know I'm the fluffy queen…can't write drama or angst to save my life but I do like me some plot points so to speak. You will understand when you finish this chapter so I will say this now- do not worry haha it is resolved super quickly._

_I also want to add that I did a lot of research for this part of the story so a lot of the information is true. The Jeffersonian is based on the Smithsonian so that's where I got that….feel free to ask if you have other questions or found a mistake. And yes the zoo in DC is the National Zoo…and it is a great place, if you are ever there I highly recommend it._

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It was Friday afternoon and Booth glanced at his watch again as he shifted anxiously watching his squints on the platform. Bones had promised to finish by 4 this afternoon so they could pick up groceries and things for Parker's weekend. Glancing at his watch he shook his wrist and listened to the ticking, it wasn't broken, so why was it taking so damn long for that big hand to move to the 12. He stood up and walked to doorway of the office where he had been banished, apparently they don't appreciate people pacing and muttering while they work, and as he leaned against the doorframe he smiled. She was pointing to something on the skull and Hodgins had just lit up like a light bulb. It was sickening how excited he got over bugs and slime, seriously. He sighed and caught Angela's eye who winked at him and set down her drawing softly.

She had seen him pacing in her office for the past twenty minutes and knew that she wouldn't be making it to their predetermined four pm stop time. She wasn't surprised when Angela came over and whispered in her ear that he was reaching the end of his patience. Normally this would have upset her, but the truth was that she was just as excited as he was, and couldn't remember what she had been saying to her colleagues about the cause of death. Limbo cases were important but they could wrap this one up without her. She had plans with her Booth boys and a pretty big surprise for them too. She snapped her gloves off and bid everyone goodbye before turning and seeing Booth heading down the stairs with her bag and jacket. Smiling she met him with a kiss and let him slip the garment on her shoulders. As they walked out to the car she slipped into the passenger seat she pulled out the folded envelope from her bag and cleared her throat.

"Listen. I'm sure you know this but the Jeffersonian has a research agreement with the National Zoo…we practically run the damn place apparently. I consulted with some people in the divisions that deal with such matters and found out that it affords us some considerable measures tomorrow." She paused and saw his confused expression before deciding to explain it in a more simplified fashion.

"Basically it means that because we work for the Jeffersonian, we can get into the zoo early and Parker can go behind the scenes if he wants, even feed some animals. I have all the information right here in case you were interested and also to let you know that you are an official member of the Jeffersonian with high clearance so you can do these things without me too, just bring your ID card. For those times when flashing your badge doesn't work I mean" she ended cheekily.

He looked at her in awe; she had gone about all this for his son and their special weekend together. He was quite possibly the luckiest man in the whole damn world.

"Parker would love that Bones, I don't know what to say…Thank you."

She blushed at his intensely sincere gaze and mumbled "Well I want you guys to have a good weekend together and I can't believe it didn't hit me before." They set off with smiles, hitting the grocery store first. They arrived back at Booth's place to unload their heaping bags of junk food, soda, and other 'guy food' as Booth had put it. Rolling her eyes playfully at the memory she tucked what little fruit she had managed to slip into the cart on the fridge shelf as her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. Noticing it read the name of her landlord's company she frowned slightly as she answered.

Booth had turned around to look at her questioningly when she began to speak and then heard her hurried agreement. He helped her stand and quietly asked who was on the phone.

"It was my landlord. I completely forgot that I was supposed to be there this afternoon, they are changing my locks and the locksmith is waiting on me. They can't start until I'm there apparently. I'll be back later. But this way I can grab my things and we won't have to stop there tomorrow morning." She grabbed her bag and leaned over to brush her lips against his quickly. "I'll be back in an hour or so, ok?" She saw him opening his mouth to offer to come with her but shook her head "You have to be here when Rebecca drops off Parker, he should be here soon. Make dinner for 3, ok?" She was taken aback when he moved around the counter to bring his lips to hers passionately before pulling back and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Drive carefully Bones, and call if you need me"

She nodded and grabbed the keys to her car, which had been parked at Booth's the past few days.

He listened to the door slam shut and couldn't help the foreboding feeling that overtook him, feeling like a fist of ice had taken hold of his heart. He took a deep breath and continued cleaning up the kitchen and taking out the ingredients he needed for dinner.

She thanked the locksmith once more and signed the papers he handed to her before closing the door and grabbing the mail of her counter. She flipped through the magazines and bills, separating them into piles for her to look at later. She walked back into the bedroom and grabbed her overnight bag from the closet, packing the essentials for a day at the zoo.

She smiled as she thought about the weekend she had waiting for her, such a change from what she was used to in the best way possible. Grabbing her digital camera from her dresser she threw that on top of the clothing and zipped the bag, turning out the lights as she left. She checked the key ring in the car- she had her new apartment key and the copy for Booth, she noted as she inserted her car key in the ignition. Shifting into reverse she pulled out of her parking spot and as she merged onto the main drag she reached down to turn her radio on.

Booth was stirring vegetables in the skillet; he had the chicken separate for the carnivores of the group, when his cell rang. He answered without looking at the caller id, confused when an unfamiliar voice asked "Is this Agent Seeley Booth?" Frowning slightly he stopped stirring.

"Yes it is, who am I speaking with?"

"Agent Booth my name Marilyn from the George Washington University Hospital ER, you were listed as the ICE contact for a patient who was just brought in and we were wondering if you would be able to come down here."

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_Understand what I meant earlier? Like I said...don't worry. I already have the next 2 chapters done and will be posting them very soon...possibly today. GWU is a hospital in the heart of DC and world renowned...I researched more for this story than I did my finance capstone project...oops. _

_Review and let me know what you think...if my procrastination was worth it. _

_~sgh_


	13. Chapter 13

_So I told you guys this would not only be up quickly…but also resolve the issue. Viola. Well kind of...its not completely done but you can all finish gasping after this. I tried to make this chapter very realistic as well- I have too much experience with the medical/hospital scene. Let me know what you think! (by the way- the accident I described actually happened to a person I know but he was unfortunately killed in the accident, he was not as lucky as Brennan)_

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He managed to answer that he was on his way before dropping the skillet, food and all in the sink and turning the stove off. He grabbed his badge, gun and wallet from the top of the entertainment center before grabbing Parker's coat and rushing them both out to the truck. He made sure the boy was buckled safely and explained hesitantly that Bones was hurt as he flipped on the siren and raced to the hospital. He knew the route all too well and as he parked in a spot reserved for emergency personnel he flashed his badge to the attendant who waved him on. Picking Parker up he decided carrying the boy would be faster as he jogged into the bustling ER and marched to the front desk. Everything happened in a blur after that, he just remembers a kind older nurse offering to take Parker under her wing while she did paperwork and as Booth thanked her he recognized her from several of his previous hospital stays. She nodded to him and said softly "That woman was by your side come hell or high water every time you landed yourself in here, poor thing deserves the same now."

He reached the door of the room she was in and realized he was shaking. It was taking everything in his power to stay this composed as the nurse stopped him to explain what had happened and what to expect. She was driving down the road when a drunk driver crossed a double yellow line and hit her head on. She was under observation and hadn't woken up since the incident, but they were hoping that was due to the heavy sedation and pain medications she was being given. He took a deep shuddering breath before he opened the door and walked in.

She looked like a china doll, so pale and soft. She had two IV lines and her heart monitor was beeping steadily. There was a sling on her left arm and he noticed then that she was completely bare of all jewelry; they must have removed it when she was brought in. He settled down beside her. He took her hand in his and kissed it softly as he cursed the drunk driver who caused this damage. He wasn't sure how long he sat there, just watching her before he heard someone enter the room and as he looked up he saw a doctor standing before him. He stood up quickly and walked to the end of the bed to stand with the other man as he spoke in hushed tones.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan is doing well, she was actually quite lucky to have escaped as intact as she did. She dislocated her shoulder, which we set already. She broke 3 ribs and has significant bruising and contusions from her airbag and seatbelt. Her MRI and CT Scans are clean though, showing no bleeds or internal damage. We are weaning her off the heavy pain medications to encourage her to wake up, since there is no reason for her to remain sedated." The doctor paused before continuing "You probably don't remember me but a few years back when you came in here I was your ER doctor- you had some broken ribs and a concussion, I also remember you checked yourself out AMA…but she was sitting by your bedside or outside your room the entire time. She threatened to put me in the bed next to you if I tried to make her leave or keep information from her" The doctor smiled at the memory and Booth chuckled softly at how true to form that was for her, "Anyways I wish we didn't have to meet again, especially like this…but I already put in word that you are given explicit permission to remain past visiting hours, if anyone asks it's an FBI matter…but I doubt they will. I'll be back later tonight, call me if you have questions or she wakes up. You might want to try talking to her, no promises but sometimes that helps." The man finished jotting some notes down and strode out of the room.

Booth stood stunned for a moment; did the entire emergency medicine department know him and Bones? He whispered that he would be right back and kissed her forehead quickly before finding his way to the triage desk. He saw Parker alternating between a puzzle and coloring as he chattered to the nurses who were doting on him. The older nurse who took him almost an hour ago rose and walked over to where he stood with a smile on her face "He is a lovely child Mr. Booth, and he isn't causing trouble, before you ask." Her gaze shifted back to the nurses who were laughing at the boy's dramatic retelling of a recess escapade, "In fact the morale around this station has risen since he sat down here- even the doctors are smiling and saying please when they ask us something, and let me tell you that doesn't happen often!" She saw the worry behind his eyes and put her hand on his arm gently "Go sit with Dr. Brennan. We will take very good care of Parker, tonight is pizza night- is it ok if he eats with us?" When he nodded she smiled and continued "Good then I want you to go sit in that room and not worry about him. I promise to come get you if he causes trouble." He thanked her and told Parker to behave before hurrying back to the room. He turned into the room and saw her moving her arm and groaning slightly, prompting him to rush to her side and pick up her hand, sitting back down in the chair facing her.

He sat there holding her hand in his as he felt her muscle twitch and incoherent groans coming from her. He kissed her hand and said softly "Come on, wake up. It's me, Booth. I'm here…and Parker is out with the nurses. Open your eyes, please…" He drew circles on the back of her hand with his thumb idly, as a tear escaped his eye and dropped onto her skin. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment only to hear the voice he was praying for.

"If I wake up will you stop crying and bring me some ice chips or something?" He opened his eyes and saw her blue ones staring back at him. They were dulled by pain, sure, but they were open…and her snarky comment set him off. His body shook with a combination of sobs and laughs as he lowered himself and kissed her forehead, then her lips.

"Bones. Oh my god. Don't you ever do that to me again" He murmured as he rested his head in the crook of her neck. After a few moments of him speaking into her neck as she tried to sooth him, he lifted up and looked into her eyes intently "Let me go tell them you are back with the living and get you your ice chips." He kissed her once more before slipping out into the hallway.

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_So lovelies...thoughts? I already have the next chapter ready to go...and I'm working on more. I just don't want to end this, it may go on forever. haha_

_xoxo ~sgh_


	14. Chapter 14

_Extra long chapter today! I had this cut at about half way but our internet was down all day so i found myself writing fanfiction...since i couldnt do research/online classes. oh darn. haha. As always feel free to review...it makes my day. And I try my best to respond to all of them but I don't get to yours...i still got it and loved it. They really do brighten my day and make me laugh usually. you guys are the BESTEST. Without further ado...more fluffy cliched nothingness to brighten your day!_

_~sgh_

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Booth waited outside the room anxiously with the pitcher of water, plastic cup and a second cup of ice chips nestled in it. It seemed like an eternity but the doctor left the room with a smile, pulling the anxious agent aside to update him.

"She's a fighter. She is refusing the heavy duty pain medications but I'm writing the scripts for them anyway, pick them up at the hospital pharmacy on your way out. She is afebrile, that means no fever" He added the common term when he saw the confused look on the agent's face "If she continues to improve she should be out of here by breakfast time. She has been asking for you and the little boy though, I'll have the nurses send him down in ten minutes, so you two have some time." With a pat on the shoulder the white coat was gone and Booth found himself again in awe of the staff at this hospital. They were getting some serious fruit baskets when he got out of here, he thought as he entered the room with a smile.

He set the pitcher down and handed her the cup of ice, and moved to sit back in the chair that was still by her bed when she spoke "No, Booth. Would you…" she patted the mattress and he was only too happy to oblige. He settled in next to her, careful not to disturb her IV as he wound his arms around her waist. They were silent for a few moments, both waiting for the other to speak but neither wanting to break the silence. Finally Booth began, his usually confident voice a broken whisper betraying the façade he was trying to put on.

"I was so scared Bones…I got that call and I just…I felt like my world shattered. They just said you had an accident and I should get over here as soon as I could. I…" he stuttered as he mumbled into her shoulder "You can't leave me. I can't do it without you, I really can't. You and Parker are my life. Once you are out of here and safe I'm going to go wring that god damn drunk driver's neck" she sighed heavily as she heard him reverting back to the alpha male threats.

"Thanks for the sentiment but let's see what the police have done to him first. Your friend from DCPD, Officer McCabe was at the scene apparently, the doctor mentioned it, and he came in with me, waited until they reached you. Remind me to thank him. But my point, aside from how loopy those drugs make me and my stories, I'm sure McCabe made sure he realized the severity of his actions…or something to that effect that basically means he beat the shit out of him. I'm not so good with those subtle hints." She paused and said quietly "Oh my god. Parker. Is he angry with me? It wasn't a dream was it?" She groaned and put her head in her hands.

He looked at her quizzically "What are you talking about? Parker's not angry with you, he's glad you are ok and loving the fact that the nurses here gave him pizza. They will be bringing him by in a few minutes….but what dream?"

She blushed and met his eyes hesitantly "I…I have these memories of drifting in and out, hearing voices but there was one exchange I remember vividly…no faces but I heard voices…I…" she paused and took a deep breath and he squeezed her hand, encouraging her on "I had this dream that Parker was mad I messed up your plans for tomorrow…you guys can totally still go, I'm probably going to sleep all day anyways. But anyways in my dream he got really mad and said he didn't like how I was all over your life now and you agreed with him and said….you said that would be changing. I really don't want to ruin that for you guys…even if this was a drug induced hallucination, I just want you to know- I'm not going to invade your lives, I understand if there are times where you want me to leave or something." She sighed and looked down at her id bracelet "I feel stupid now, but honestly, I just don't want to impose on either of you."

He was shocked she would think that would ever happen, and wanted to set her straight right away, before anymore self doubt set in. "Listen to me Temperance" She sat up and sniffled, looking at him intensely, he never used her first name. "You have ruined nothing for me or Parker. You have made our lives better in so many ways, you really have no idea. I don't ever want you to doubt that, alright? And what if we WANT you to invade our lives? Because honestly, that sounds like a damn good idea to me….But I also don't want you to be afraid to tell me these things, if nothing else at least I can set you straight and tell you how wanted you are." He was looking into her eyes and reached over to brush her hair out of her face as they heard a little voice exclaim "Bones! Wait, is Daddy hurt too? Why is he on the bed?"

The nurse chuckled and leaned down to whisper in his ear, then his eyes got wide and he nodded. "Ohhhh, that makes sense." He walked over and plopped himself in the chair Booth vacated. "The nurse said you will get better real soon Bones, which is good. It's no fun being hurt, I remember when I twisted my ankle in gym class and didn't get play for DAYS" he sounded so serious she couldn't help but laugh and reach over to ruffle his hair.

"Thanks Parker. That really doesn't sound like fun. But yes, I should heal up real soon." She paused and glanced at Booth before continuing softly "But Parker I won't be able to go anywhere fun for a week or so at least, which means I can't come with you and your father to the zoo. I already told him that you two should go and have fun though; I'll tag along next time. Ok?" She felt Booth stiffen next to her and knew he was upset with her, since this was in direct violation of his 'not leaving your side for any reason' plans he outlined earlier. This was Parker's special trip though and she felt that he should have the final say in what happened.

Booth was shocked at what she proposed to the little boy and silently told himself that no matter what the child said, he would not be leaving her side. He hoped Parker had the sense to reassure her though because even though Booth could easily fix the zoo situation, it would be much harder to fix the walls of self doubt that would build if she thought Parker was resentful. He felt overwhelming relief when the blonde head tilting to the side, with a confused expression on his face.

"But the zoo was a special trip for all of us, not just me…do you not want to come with us anymore?" He got a sad look on his face as he continued softly "I was hoping you would teach me about the animals…especially the monkeys. I really love monkeys."

Brennan felt her heart tugging when she saw the crestfallen disappointment on his face; he looked almost devastated that she had even suggested it. While she felt some sense of dread at the prospect of climbing out of this hole she had just dug herself, she also felt a strange surge of relief at the fact that he really did want her with them. She was suspecting at least part of Booth's assessment of the boy's view of her was skewed by their relationship, but this did prove that she was in fact at least partly wrong.

"No, of course I want to go with you guys, you are my two favorite boys after all" she said with a hint of humor, "I just don't want you to think that you have to miss the fun weekend you had planned because of me. This weekend was supposed to be about you and your dad, not me. I know and I'm sure you understand that this was an accident, but I wanted to make sure you were ok with everything." She knew that she was being vague but couldn't find the words that would make a child understand her concerns. She was relieved when Booth chimed in and explained what she had meant and even happier when Parker called her a 'silly goose', so much so that she restrained her explanation regarding the disposition of waterfowl. Parker just continued saying that watching movies and eating junk food was just as fun. He then looked towards the remote on her bedside table and asked if he could watch something on her TV, and she settled in to helping him find a channel he liked.

Booth smiled at his family, but knew that it wasn't over, she had some serious doubts still and he was determined to show her that she was wrong, for once in her life. He didn't know how he would go about doing that but he knew he had to.

A few hours later Parker had passed out in the chair and Booth was climbing back into the bed after throwing a hospital blanket over the boy. He found his previous spot next to her and eagerly settled back in, winding his arms around her as she turned over to rest her head on his chest. Her hand rested atop his own that lay around her waist and she felt the cold metal that wrapped around his finger. Frowning slightly she traced the outline and murmured that she wanted her ring back. He smiled and promised to ask the nurse when she came around next, then told her to get some sleep. She yawned and felt her eyes drifting shut but managed to say "You are too nice to me sometimes, way…too…nice" she finished as sleep finally pulled her under. Booth pressed a kiss to the top of her head and tightened his hold on her, never wanting to let go.


	15. Chapter 15

_Hey guys! As promised here is the next installment of Forever. I'm thrilled with the reviews and comments you have been sending my way- they really make my day and do speed up the process of updating. The next chapter is already in the works and if it isn't uploaded by Sunday evening I would be surprised. I have also decided that this story is going to continue for the time being...who knows where it will end but as we get there I'll just work my way through some of the most common cliches and see where it leads us. haha, as always im open to suggestions. xoxo ~sgh_

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Ignoring her protests, he carried her bridal style through his doorway, with Parker walking ahead of him making sure the path was clear. Setting her down on the couch he told her to stay put and told Parker to enforce the ruling. Brennan pouted playfully as the little boy took over his 'job'.

Heading back out to the car, Booth grabbed the large paper bag they were given when she was discharged as well as the box of Thai food he had picked up on their way home. He had been shocked when he saw it was lunchtime before they even started the lengthy process of discharge on her so he insisted they pick up food on their way home, none of them could survive on the pudding alone. Kicking the door of the truck shut, he pressed the lock button on his keys and went inside. He set everything down on the kitchen counter and peeked around to see the two other occupants completely engrossed in flipping through the channels to find something to watch.

He opened up the paper bag and took the medications out, setting them on the counter by the sink. He then took out the bag of her personal belongings, sans ring, which she had insisted she get back immediately, and set that aside as well. He then picked up the discharge instructions and skimmed through them briefly before tossing them down; having had the same injuries a thousand times before he was pretty sure he knew the treatments. He then grabbed the Thai, napkins and utensils before entering the living room, finding the two still arguing over what to watch. Parker apparently found an episode of SpongeBob that he simply HAD to see, while Brennan was trying to convince him that the programming on PBS was more educational and appropriate. Booth laughed and slid the food in front of them, then took the remote from between them.

"Since you two are hopelessly deadlocked I get to choose!" he declared gleefully as he automatically clicked to the movie channels. "Hm, chick flick, chick flick, rated R….aha! Here we go you two, a classic. And it just started so we didn't miss much." He saw the confused looks he was getting and said incredulously "You have never seen 'Airplane!'? It's a good thing it was on, everybody should see this movie. Although I will remind you that it is not only a movie but a comedy…so it is not supposed to be a perfect portrayal of real life, ok?" He laughed when she rolled her eyes and nodded, reaching for a container of food.

He found himself spending more time watching the reactions of the woman beside him than he did the movie, not that he minded, he has seen it so many times he can recite the lines. She had a scrunched, disbelieving expression at first but quickly warmed up to the humor of the film and was laughing with Parker every few minutes. Her face was relaxed although about halfway through he saw the pain creeping back into her eyes and a quick glance at his watch told him she was due for her pain medication. He returned to the couch with a glass of ice water and the pill wordlessly and her grateful expression was thanks enough for him.

After the last of the Pad kee mao was gone and the credits were rolling Brennan stood up and stretched, ignoring Booth's protests that she stay on the couch. She grabbed a few containers and urged Parker to grab some as well, as she walked into the kitchen. Throwing out the empty containers and napkins she washed her hands and saw Booth hovering at the door, watching her almost nervously.

"What's wrong? You have to know I'm not going to run, I'm crippled and carless." She joked lightly. She watched as he opened his mouth and shut it several times, like he was trying to find the right words. She shut off the tap and dried her hands off before turning to Parker, "Hey kiddo, why don't you go get changed into comfy clothes and then pick out a movie for us to watch next, ok? Make it a good one." As the boy scurried out of the room she turned back to Booth and said quietly "That should give us a few minutes, at the very least. So, as Angela would say, spill." She sat down slowly, wincing as her broken ribs protested the movement.

He smiled as she sent Parker out of the room; she really was so good with him- no matter how much she protested the opposite. He felt a twinge of pain in his own chest when he saw her face scrunch as she sat down, he had broken enough ribs to know the exact stabbing pain that she was feeling. He sat down next to her and took a moment to compile his thoughts before speaking, not looking at her face in a weak attempt to keep his resolve. "I know you hate it, the alpha male protective side of me, but I just…I don't want to let you go. I know that a lot of the worry I feel right now will go away with time and as you heal but there will always be some there." He paused and glanced at her face, not finding the annoyed look he expected, but rather a patient understanding gaze. He felt her hand reach for his and he clasped it tightly. "I don't know how to do this without scaring you away though, and that's the last thing I want to do." He heard footsteps heading out to living room and knew they only had a few more minutes before Parker chose his movie and came back to get them.

"Here's the deal. I tell you what I have bouncing around my head and you promise to think about it, really consider it before answering. And no running away allowed, if you don't like it than we just forget it and move on, okay?" He saw her nod wordlessly, squeezing his hand as she urged him on. "So what would you think about maybe…living together. Like I know there are pros and cons, and that's why I want you to think it over- it doesn't have to be here either…just together. We already spend almost every night together and this isn't just a random, super overpowering protective idea because you got hurt…I've been thinking about for awhile now. I was going to ask you when I gave you the ring but I didn't want to overwhelm you." He turned to look into her eyes and grabbed her other hand, "I don't need and answer right now, just think about it. If you aren't ready that's fine, we will just keep what we have and see where it takes us."

She nodded and leaned over to brush her lips against his, "I would be lying if I said the thought hadn't occurred to me. I will think about it but only if you promise to stop torturing yourself over these things. I already promised you, multiple times, I'm not going to up and leave. You have me, ok? You can ask me things, talk to me about things…" She trailed off and nodded towards the living room, "Let's go see how the movie selection is going" and stood slowly, as to not upset her injuries. She felt his arm wind around her waist gently and laid her head on his shoulder.

She really had thought about living with him but always found her mind racing ahead of her, never actually allowing her to analyze. It would take compromise, on both their parts but it wasn't an impossible idea. However, once she found her thoughts heading in that direction she felt the inevitable pulls of her subconscious- would he always want more? More than she was comfortable giving? She had compromised a lot lately on a lot of things she said she stood firm on- like commitment to a monogamous relationship and filling a decidedly domestic role. She still wavered though when her mind thought of marriage, white picket fences, pregnancy, and couldn't help but think that moving in would accelerate this. Could she really keep him though if she knew ultimately she would be letting him down? No matter how right this felt, she could never lead him on- the eventual pain would be worse than the pain now, when the relationship was new. At that thought her eyes pricked with tears, and she knew this was something she had to speak to him about.

He saw her mind moving a mile a minute and leaned down to whisper in her ear "We can talk after he passes out, don't overanalyze yet. Please, give me a chance to get my side in, ok?"

She nodded and knew he saw the sheen of tears in her eyes as he squeezed her waist tighter and kissed the top of her head. They made their way into the living room and saw the blonde head surrounded by piles of DVDs and both laughed lightly.


End file.
